Colds in Babies: Causes, Symptoms, Tips and Remedies
Common Colds In Babies: One In A List Of Many Firsts
Little noses get lots of cold. There are plenty of ‘baby firsts’ to look forward to, from their first smile to their first step. But you know what’s not on the list? Their first cold.
No matter how protective you were of your little one, it’s very easy for babies to catch colds and infections in their first two years of birth. Especially if they are in a day care or have siblings and family members that bring germs home.
And though these baby colds are totally manageable – most of the time, the sniffles and sneezes can be really tough on their loving parents – you. So here we are to teach you what causes common colds, how to prevent and treat them and just deal with the harsh weather better.
What Causes Colds In Babies?
A healthy baby can catch almost 8 to 10 colds a year, in their first two years. This is because your baby’s immunity system still isn’t strong enough to fight the 100 or so viruses that cause colds.
The cold viruses spread through the air when someone who’s sick coughs or sneezes. They can also land on surfaces such as toys and tables. When babies touch these surfaces and put their hands in their mouth – they give the cold viruses the red-carpet VIP treatment.
Symptoms Of Baby Cold
We’ve all had colds and can probably rattle off the standard symptoms of cold from the top of our heads. Baby cold symptoms aren’t much different, here are a few:
- Stuffy and runny nose
- Sneezing and coughing
- Fever
- Irritability
- Reduced appetite
- Trouble sleeping
- Vomiting and diarrhea
Colds usually go away within a week or so, but you should contact your doctor if:
- The cold doesn’t go away even after 10 days.
- Your baby has a problem breathing.
- Your baby has a fever above 100.4°.
- Your baby isn’t eating or drinking anything.
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Baby Summer Colds
Yes, babies can get colds even during summertime! This is because the set of viruses that cause colds during the summers are different. The treatment and prevention, however, remain the same.
Tips For Treating Baby’s Cold
So, your baby has a cold, and you find yourself searching, “how to cure a cold fast overnight”? Well, when a baby has a cold, their body is learning to protect itself and the best assistance you can offer is comfort during the process. To help your little one feel better, you can always use these home remedies for cold and cough for babies:
- Unblock their stuffy nose.
- Elevate their bed to make sleeping easier.
- Humidify the air to help their stuffy nose and breathe better.
- Just let them rest.
Unfortunately, you can’t prevent every cold, especially during flu season. But you sure can lower your baby’s risk of catching cold with these tips:
- Ask anyone who’s sick needs to stay away from your baby.
- Keep your baby away from crowded places where there can be lots of germs.
- Wash your hands often. Someone wants to play with your baby? Ask them to wash their hands too.
- Clean your baby’s toys often.
- Don’t let anyone use your baby’s utensils, towels, soap, etc.
- Don’t let anyone smoke near your baby.
Now take it easy on yourself, mama and papa! Your baby may be the one with the cold, but we know it’s hard on you too. Hopefully, this blog has told you something about how to get relief from cold for baby. And remember, what your baby needs most during times of cold is their mummy and daddy.
Have more doubts or some tips for fellow parents? Write them down below!
When a baby has a cold, their body is learning to fight the viruses that cause cold. And the best course of action is to let their body do its thing and offer comfort to your baby throughout the process. To comfort them, you can:
- Unblock their stuffy nose.
- Elevate their bed to make sleeping easier.
- Humidify the air to help their stuffy nose and breathe better.
- Just let them rest.
You should worry about a baby’s cold if:
- The cold doesn’t go away in 10 days.
- The baby has fever over 100.4°.
- The baby has problems breathing.
- The baby isn’t eating or drinking anything.
A baby has a cold when you notice these symptoms:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Coughing and sneezing
- Fever
- Fatigue and irritability
- Reduced appetite